Electric signaling mechanism



O. D. PLUMMER, G. H. HAUSSER & E. A. WARNER.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION TILED APR. 24, 1913.

1,105,829. Pa d ug- 4,191

3 SHEETSSHBET' 0. D PLUMMER, G. H. HAUSSER & I A WARNER.

ELECTRIC SH N ALIN G MECHANISM.

APPLICATIOE'I FILED APR. 24, 1M3.

Patented Aug. 1, 1914.

3 SHBE'I'H-SHMIT W/T/VfSSES 0. D. PLUMMER, G. H. HAUSSER & E. A. WARNER. ELECTRIC SIGNALING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1913.

1,105,829, Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

3 SHEBTS SHEBT 3.

wuumnmnw W/TNESSES l/V VE/WORS UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

OSCAR D. PLUMMER, GEORGE H. HAUSSER, ANT) EARL A. WARNER, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING MECHANISM.

To all whom itmag concern: 1' 1' Be it knownthat we,OsoAaD. PLUMMER,

'Gnonon HuHAussnn, and'EAnn A. WARNER, residentsofAltoona, in'the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain. Improvements in Electric Signaling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification; Th s invent on is an. electric signaling mechanism having as its primary ob ect the maintenance of a signal light by automatieallylreplacin broken or inoperative lamps.

' A. serious defect in electric si 'nal lights is due to the factthat the life of a lamp is very uncertain, primarily because of the irregular burning out or breaking of the filamerits which, is liableto take place at any time, requiring onerous inspection and involving liability to serious accident.

Our improvements eliminate this defect by mechanism .comprislng, in ts preferred form, a lamp circuit containing an electromagnet, a battery of incandescent lamps having ELCEIIIIGI adapted for placing them successively in said circuit, a motor for operating said carrier, an automatically acting stop mechanism for holding said motor in static condition normally, a relay circuit containing an electro-magnet'"adapted for disengaging said stop mechanism to release said motor, and a switchautomatically acting to close the circuit, the switch comprising an armature attracted by the first named electro-magnet to break the relay circuit and permit the engagement of the mechanism for stopping themotor when a sound lamp has been inserted in and closed the lamp circuit. y 1

While these improvements are especially applicable to use insignaling, it will be understood that they are also applicable where it is desired-to maintain a light or substitute a sound for a broken conductor.

' In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 1s a vertical sectional view of a signal lantern constructed'in accordance with our invention, the section being taken on the line 1-1 of F1g.-2; Fig. 2 ma sectional View taken. on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 4, 1914. Application filed April 24, 1913. Serial No. 763,188. i

sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.

1 Fig 4: is a bottom view of the lamp carrier; Flg. 5 IS a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view representing tliecircuits.

The device comprises the lanternl provided with a lens 2. Incandescent lamps 3' are revolubly mounted within the lantern so that they can be moved successively into position directly behind the lens by a carrier 4: having sockets 5 into which the lamps are screwed and a revolubleshaft 6 on-which the carrier is fixed. A This shaft, supported by the adjustable step bearing 7, passes through the diaphragm 8 fixed in the lantern above the carrier and is journaled in the motor frame 9 which is supported by the insulating plate 10 fixed in the lantern above the diaphragm. A pinion 11 is fixed on the shaft 6 and engages the spur wheel 12 on the arbor 13 which is carried by'the motor frame, the wheel 12 being revoluble by a spring 14. A spur wheel 15 is fiXed'on-the shaft 6 and meshes with a pinion 16 fixed on an arbor .17 carried by the frame 9, the arbor having a spur wheel l8,fixed thereon.

A pinion 19, meshing 'with the wheel 18, is

fixed on the arbor 20 carried by the motor frame, this arbor having fixed thereon the scape-wheel 21 and the ratchetwheel 22. A pallet 23, adapted to rock on the bearing 21 of the motor frame, coacts with the wheel '21, and a pawl 25, adapted to rock on the bearing 26 of the motor frame, coacts with the wheel .22, the pawl being provided with an arm 27 connectedby a coiled spring 28 with the motor frame. An armature 29 is connected to the arm 27 and adapted to be attracted by an electro-magnct 30 which is connected by the conductors 31 and 32 with a source of electric energy, as the battery 33, and by the conductor 34 with the contact and armature 35 having the fulcrum 36.

The part 35 is adapted to be drawn, by a spring 37 connecting it with the post 38, into engagement with a contact 39which is carried by the post and connected by the conductor 40 with the battery 33: An electro-magnet 41 isadapted to attrac the part 35 and withdraw it from engagement with the contact 39, this electro-magnet being connected by the conductor 42 with the conv ductor 32 and by the conductors 43 and 44 into contact by springs 45, and the holders being connected with the respective conductors 43 and 44 by. -the binding screws 46. When a lamp 3 connects the conductors 43 and 44, current from the battery 33 flows through the lamp circuit comprising the conductors 32, 42,41, 43, 44", 44, 4",

3, 4, 43, 43", 44 and 40. The lectro- ,magnet 41 of the relay is thereby excited and the relay armature 35 is drawn from the contact 39, thereby breaking'the relay circuit comprising the conductors 31 and 34 and the electr magnet 30, which is deenergized. As the electro-magnet 30 is deenergized, the armature 29 is drawn back by the action of the spring 28 on the arm 27, which is stopped by the stud 25, and the pawl 25 is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 22, whereby the. motor'a nd 'carrier mechanism are held stationary.

When, however, the lamp 3 in circuit is brokensothat it fails to electrically connect the brushes 43 and 44', the electro-magnet 41 is deenergized and the armature 35 is cans d to engage the contact 39, thus closing t e relay circuit and causing the electromagnet 30 to attract its armature'29; The movement of this armature toward its elec tr'o-magnct causes the crank arm 27.to draw the pawl 25 back from the ratchet wheel 22,

ivlmrebytlu-i motor isreleased. The spring 14 now acts through the'gear wheels 12 and 11 to revolve the shaft 6 and the carrier 4 until a second lamp closes the lamp circuit, the movement being governed by the escapement mechanism comprising the parts 15, 16, 18, 19, 21 and 23. The lamp circuit being now closed, the relay circuit is'bro'ken thereby and the pawl .25 automatically-'- throwninto engagement with the wheel 22, thus stopping the'motor and carrierme'chanism to maintain the lamp circuit closed. Having described our "invention, we claim:

1. In an electric signaling mechanism,

a plurality of lamps, lamp-marrying mech-! 'anism, acircuit having an electro-magnettherein, motormechanism for operating said carrying mechanism whereby said lamps are movable in succession into said circuit, a

second circuit having an electro-magnet therein, means whereby said first named' electro-magnet controls said second named circuit, and means whereby said second named electro-magnet controls saidmotor mechanism.

2. In an electric'signaling mechanism, a circuit containing an electro-magnet and a pair of contacts, a revoluble carrier having contacts adapted for engaging said contacts first named, a lamp engagedto said carrier j in circuit with said second named contacts,

motor mechanism for revolving said carrier, stop mechanism for holding saidmotor, and a circuit having make and break means operated by the action ofsaidelectro-magnet, said circuit last named having therein an electro-magnet for controlling said stop mechanism; 3. In an electric signaling mechanism, a circuit containing contacts and an electro magnet, a revoluble-carrier having contacts adapted for. engaging said contacts first named, lamps engaged'to said carrier in circuit with the contacts thereof, a second circuit containing an electro-magnet and an armature adapted to be attracted by said first named electro-magnet to open-said second circuit, motor mechanism for revolving said carrier, stop mechanism for holding said motor mechanism stationary, and means operated by said second named electro-magnet for releasing said stop mechanlsm.

4. In an electric signaling mechanism, a

journaled shaft, a lamp. carrier fixed on said shaft, a circuit containing contacts and an electro-magnet, lamps. connected with said carrier and adapted for placement in said circuit through said contacts, a circuit containing an electro-magne't and a contact movable by said first named electro-magnet to open said second named circuit, stop mechanism comprising a pawl and "ratchet for holdingfsaid motor mechanism, and

means operatedby said second named elec-.

tro-magnet for disengaging said pawl from said ratchj'et. 5. In'electric signallng mechanism, a'lan-' tern containing a light aperture, a shaft journaled in said lantern, a carrier fixed to said shaft, said carrier having lamp sockets and contacts, incandescent'lamps in said sockets in circuit with said contacts, a circuit containing contacts adapted for engaging with the respective contacts in circuitwith the respective lamps, an electromagnet in said circuit, a second circuit contaming a movable contacting device whereby ltis adapted to be closed, said electromagnet being adapted for moving said contacting deviceto open its circuit, an electromagnet in said secondcircuit, a motor for revolving saidshaft, stop mechanism comprising clutching means for holding said motor, and means whereby said second named electro-magnet disegages said clutching means and releases said motor.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our names this 22 day of April, 1913, in 10 the presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

OSCAR D, PLUMMER. GEORGE H. HAUSSER. EARL A. WARNER.

Witnesses:

- H. M. GILL,

WILLIAM C. SHUFF. 

